tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73670654393903394272024-03-05T00:51:04.317-08:00The Life of a Trooper WifeBeing part of a law enforcement family means being wholly committed to someone who is wholly committed to his work. It is not a life that little girls grow up dreaming about, but it is a life that can be so rewarding.
I believe that the heart of being a law enforcement wife is providing our men with a home that is a safe haven from the stresses and the evils that they face.
Hopefully there are some tips, recipes or DIY ideas that you can make your own to help create your version of a safe haven!Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-91897718087314871462015-01-27T17:51:00.000-08:002015-01-27T17:51:19.697-08:00Home is a resting place<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3PX24kaD8ye8hZzgqVYLjVwD7hdY4UZOLzFr9Prb2DwxYjWnUToTVqRf2OV1gAm65tUCx3XtaLN2Jlq2ug_3oti1x1T7h4CRGYqvrrxiXrXp2VYVFrAFGhc9F8hCv4XCbSV_MQ1qyxM/s1600/Home+is+a+resting+place.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3PX24kaD8ye8hZzgqVYLjVwD7hdY4UZOLzFr9Prb2DwxYjWnUToTVqRf2OV1gAm65tUCx3XtaLN2Jlq2ug_3oti1x1T7h4CRGYqvrrxiXrXp2VYVFrAFGhc9F8hCv4XCbSV_MQ1qyxM/s320/Home+is+a+resting+place.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<p dir="ltr"><i>"Home is among the holiest of words. A true home is one of the most sacred of places. It is a sanctuary into which men flee from the world's perils and alarms. It is a resting-place to which at close of the day the weary retire to gather new strength for the battle and toils of tomorrow. It is the place where love learns its lessons, where life is schooled into discipline and strength, where character is molded. Out of the homes of a community comes the life of the community, as a river from the thousand springs that gush out on the hillsides."</i><br />
JR <u>Miller</u></p><p dir="ltr">I came upon this quote the other day and it struck me. This is beautifully said and helps to capture what I'm hoping to accomplish here.</p><p dir="ltr">More and more, our heroes are facing battle on a daily basis. The hate is spreading and it's terrifying sometimes. So now, more than ever, my trooper needs to find peace at home. Our LEOs have to spend their shifts being hyper vigilant and that means that they're crashing that much harder when they get home.</p><p dir="ltr"><i>It is a </i><i>resting-place</i><i> to which at close of the day the weary retire to gather new strength for the battle and toils of tomorrow.</i></p><p dir="ltr">I know my man needs a resting place to gather new strength for tomorrow. I'm sure yours does too.</p><p dir="ltr">What can you do today to help your LEO relax, refresh and gather strength to go back and do battle again tomorrow?</p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-31576764070067773462015-01-06T17:52:00.001-08:002015-01-06T17:52:34.720-08:00Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivf-QCdYzUozpgbGUAkBHW7ejkfmjetJCdCLImdyT1Xa77dpKDFH6RDJ9rim8onI3eAfAACzMtsf66DH-QaE-k-rEOzpVJI8GKcFtLHmK0vzuqzHcfHaM54-J6HPUSqNfPtAxHf0hl5EQ/s1600/PhotoGrid_1420587104210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivf-QCdYzUozpgbGUAkBHW7ejkfmjetJCdCLImdyT1Xa77dpKDFH6RDJ9rim8onI3eAfAACzMtsf66DH-QaE-k-rEOzpVJI8GKcFtLHmK0vzuqzHcfHaM54-J6HPUSqNfPtAxHf0hl5EQ/s320/PhotoGrid_1420587104210.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<p dir="ltr">Today it snowed in Virginia. </p><p dir="ltr">Basically, that's the equivalent of the universe imploding. </p><p dir="ltr">So of course, hubby's shift got extended 3 hours and he came home cold and tired. </p><p dir="ltr">But how lucky is he that his lovely wife had the forethought to put soup in the slow cooker this morning! How thoughtful! </p><p dir="ltr">This recipe is the result of trial and error and several recipes mashed together. I love that the instant mashed potato flakes makes it extra thick! All the goodness of a baked potato with some broccoli to help you feel like it's healthy for you. Perfect!</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Slow</b><b> Cooker </b><b>Baked</b><b> </b><b>Potato</b><b> </b><b>Soup</b></p><p dir="ltr">1Tbsp minced garlic<br />
3 Tbsp butter<br />
2 Tbsp flour<br />
1 cup water</p><p dir="ltr">4 cups chicken broth<br />
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed<br />
1 1/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes<br />
Salt, pepper, basil, parsley -- to taste</p><p dir="ltr">1 cup half and half<br />
5 slices of bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces<br />
16 oz bag of frozen broccoli<br />
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese<br />
Sour cream</p><p dir="ltr">In a large saucepan, sauté garlic in butter until slightly browned. Stir in for flour. Slowly stir in water. Heat and stir until thickened. Pour into 4 quart slow cooker. </p><p dir="ltr">Add broth, potatoes, instant potato flakes and seasonings to slow cooker. Cook on high 6-8 hours or low 3-4 hours, until potatoes are soft. </p><p dir="ltr">Add half and half, bacon, broccoli and cheese, cover and continue to cook for an additional hour. </p><p dir="ltr">Top with additional cheese and sour cream. </p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-48450991709936927802015-01-02T17:00:00.001-08:002015-01-02T17:00:16.642-08:00Rich Chocolate Cake -- with Mocha Frosting<p dir="ltr">...because sometimes your man (and maybe his wife. Ahem.) just needs a cake. <br>
Things are crazy in the LEO world these days and the new year doesn't seem to be off to a great start. It's obvious my hero is carrying some extra stress and I'm sure the rest of them are too. Being extra vigilant on the job means they need extra relaxation at home. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Enter the chocolate cake!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I usually make my cakes from scratch, but I always have a few box mixes on hand. (They're great for cookies!). Tonight I grabbed one to whip up a cake. I can never leave well enough alone, so I added an extra egg, extra butter and some milk. Extra rich! </p>
<p dir="ltr">And the frosting is simple enough too:<br>
1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco<br>
1 Tbsp water<br>
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar<br>
1/2 cup baking cocoa<br>
1 tsp vanilla<br>
Strong brewed coffee (cooled)</p>
<p dir="ltr">Beat the Crisco and water until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix powdered sugar and baking cocoa. Gradually add to the Crisco, along with vanilla. <br>
Once blended, gradually add in coffee until frosting is desired consistency. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Now, please excuse me. I need to go eat half a cake before it all disappears. </p>
Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-52551117252026121312014-12-18T14:25:00.000-08:002014-12-19T15:49:14.076-08:00Christmas Gifts on a Budget Part 3 - Stitched with LoveYes, you read that right. All of our Christmas gifts wereIchased for less than $40! Shipping for two items were the most expensive, but still came in under $20. Don't think it's possible? We'll be spending the next five days looking at how we did it! <br><br>
Part 3 - Stitched with Love<div><br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EQmQTxZJfKB9MOsGrXSZDtTUWSe7eXa9eVb0CSwZFsuNjXT2pztVgKjrLmcOQUEQZUFccqycVwFHbsHLQGeYqfbVzGaC7y-4SYltWYYLylXeN2r-Pa8-NXTq-3dQHPfMrE1BHCidlgY/s1600/Budget+Gifts+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EQmQTxZJfKB9MOsGrXSZDtTUWSe7eXa9eVb0CSwZFsuNjXT2pztVgKjrLmcOQUEQZUFccqycVwFHbsHLQGeYqfbVzGaC7y-4SYltWYYLylXeN2r-Pa8-NXTq-3dQHPfMrE1BHCidlgY/s320/Budget+Gifts+3.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm kind of addicted to teaching myself needle crafts... I've been sewing and knitting for a few years know and love it. For Christmas, I added hand embroidery and cross stitch to my resume. Again, pictures will have to wait till after we exchange gifts, but I love that I can give gifts to our family that I made myself! And from a frugal point of view, these didn't cost me anything since all the materials came from my stash! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-20254962411062368952014-12-18T14:22:00.003-08:002014-12-18T14:22:27.626-08:00Christmas Gifts on a Budget Part 2 - Handmade Crafts with Little OnesYes, you read that right. All of our Christmas gifts were purchased for less than $40! Shipping for two items were the most expensive, but still came in under $20. Don't think it's possible? We'll be spending the next five days looking at how we did it! <br />
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Part 2 - Handmade Crafts with the Little Ones<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCJSYRdN0sd_P4OwMj0MMjcFzZRC1lLuxS_G7fhZmPykWuFHulN1-Sid0auQNnV_uYvc2udFGe0QuOk8EiDUTKVh9VFz8cYyuPqd6Lh5JttqCXBvYaKH6zmMpJPd9DrhPV248qZDtFpE/s1600/Gifts+Budget+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCJSYRdN0sd_P4OwMj0MMjcFzZRC1lLuxS_G7fhZmPykWuFHulN1-Sid0auQNnV_uYvc2udFGe0QuOk8EiDUTKVh9VFz8cYyuPqd6Lh5JttqCXBvYaKH6zmMpJPd9DrhPV248qZDtFpE/s320/Gifts+Budget+2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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A major perk of having a new baby - grandparents love anything they can get their hands on that has to do with the baby!<br />
Between promo codes for photo gifts from sites like <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com">Shutterfly</a> or <a href="www.snapfish.com">Snapfish</a> (abundant this time of year) and sweet handprint and footprint crafts, you don't have to look far to find a personalized gift that grandparents will go nuts over!<br />
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(I'll share photos after Christmas, but we can't take the chance of snooping grandparents!)Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-54761927889700672402014-12-16T20:04:00.000-08:002014-12-17T07:13:41.478-08:00Christmas Gifts on a Budget Part 1 - Target bargainYes, you read that right. All of our Christmas gifts were purchased for less than $40! Shipping for two items were the most expensive, but still came in under $20. Don't think it's possible? We'll be spending the next five days looking at how we did it! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6RBt6YGi8VCywK6WRQYSDp2MYwbZRxFQwZSOXgcum-1GrQ1MW4k3yXxfdzp6payDDhYYJPQuZGZROrqqaWyO481t_qGWF0tdZ0vsSlPYxpU07r3LUs28eWoL-i1tEDW4JeLDOw4HuWM/s1600/Gifts+Budget+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6RBt6YGi8VCywK6WRQYSDp2MYwbZRxFQwZSOXgcum-1GrQ1MW4k3yXxfdzp6payDDhYYJPQuZGZROrqqaWyO481t_qGWF0tdZ0vsSlPYxpU07r3LUs28eWoL-i1tEDW4JeLDOw4HuWM/s320/Gifts+Budget+1.jpg" /></a></div>PART 1: Target Bargain<br />
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If you've spent any time shopping at Target, you know two things are true. First, that everything is always on sale in one form or another. Second, that there are dozens of sales each week that include the customer receiving a free gift card with the purchase. This year, I decided that any time I needed an item included in these free gift card offers, I'd save the gift card for a fun purchase. Even at $5 or $10 value, it adds up! Unfortunately, I had spent most of my gift cards on a previous purchase, but had enough left to buy a gift at Target that was originally priced at $69.99, on sale for $49.99 and only pay $10 out of pocket! <br />
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Next year, I'd like to be more intentional about saving up these gift cards and be able to get more gifts for even less!<br />
Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-64533447547775935722014-10-01T12:05:00.001-07:002014-10-01T12:06:50.046-07:00Organized October Checklist!A few days ago, I shared my ideas about using the month of October to get myself organized and start the holiday season with a clean slate.<br />
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Well, it's now October and I have this fabulous check list to work through the month. Feel free to print, share and work through the month with me! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5sFocT930sFX3PTK7OHM2Vo1Z-l92EJD9-D1Bmbpc15YlG8AwdGUBqNX7pAGv1zJf3XZhn0TTa2w-VK1ThgN8XG6O1HMUqQUcpksBnmMM8u8Qoh-RarvVhjLaLxBeNr6z-Lklm1Z6E8/s1600/Organized+October+challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5sFocT930sFX3PTK7OHM2Vo1Z-l92EJD9-D1Bmbpc15YlG8AwdGUBqNX7pAGv1zJf3XZhn0TTa2w-VK1ThgN8XG6O1HMUqQUcpksBnmMM8u8Qoh-RarvVhjLaLxBeNr6z-Lklm1Z6E8/s640/Organized+October+challenge.jpg" /></a></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-59065863958080735052014-09-21T08:19:00.001-07:002014-09-21T08:19:53.909-07:00Stay tuned for our Messy Beautiful Love winner!Just a reminder that yesterday was the cut off for our Messy Beautiful Love giveaway and tomorrow the winner will be announced! Eek! So exciting!Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-35680492196798899042014-09-18T10:36:00.001-07:002014-09-29T10:39:25.445-07:00Organized October!<p dir="ltr">I had quite the fantasy about being home full time and it was pretty parallel to June Cleaver.<br>
My home would be spotless- decluttered and freshly scrubbed all the time. There would be an assortment of fresh baked goods being prepared. Laundry would always be caught up. A meal would be ready for my husband, no matter what shift he would be working. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Then real life hit. Newsflash: infants can be pretty time consuming. There are days I'm nothing more than a vending machine in a rocking chair. So after spending several weeks berating myself for failure to measure up to my own high standards, it was time for a plan! (Again, I love plans. A lot.) I'm currently fine tuning a cleaning routine and I hope to share that with you soon. But I believe the first step to keeping up with the day-to-day is a clean slate. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Enter: The Organized October Challenge. </p>
<p dir="ltr">If all goes as planned (HA!), by Halloween, I'll have tackled all the little things that are keeping the house from truly feeling like an oasis. My problem areas may not be the same as yours, but I encourage you to play along. We can organize our way through October together!</p>
Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-25229300421511691572014-09-15T17:36:00.001-07:002014-09-15T19:58:30.559-07:00The messy, beautiful truth about marriage<br>
It's no secret that marriage is downright HARD at times. A lifetime of, well, Lifetime movies has left us with huge expectations, but the reality is that we're all married to imperfect people. And like it or not, so are our spouses. But when it's done right, marriage is also incredibly BEAUTIFUL! <br>
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You may recall that I've had the incredible privilege to be a part of the launch team for Darlene Schacht's newest book, <a href="http://messybeautifullove.com/">Messy Beautiful Love</a>. As such, I've had the opportunity to read the book before it is released and I can promise you it is well worth the time to read it! It's so refreshing to find a marriage book that is goes into the messy places and gets brutally honest. <br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieY_iH3cu9PJk7Pa_WCW3YUp1uH8Smm1usZhqFV9nz6_HOaBDS34-RgarP-mjXLUdazrbKyQTre5TChj959QTH2e6kwxQ9hh-udfKPGK3-qS-eEvngYf5-VHUZzfh-B4ASfbB_azzU7M/s1600/10628078_699190573508188_6129627298753296898_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieY_iH3cu9PJk7Pa_WCW3YUp1uH8Smm1usZhqFV9nz6_HOaBDS34-RgarP-mjXLUdazrbKyQTre5TChj959QTH2e6kwxQ9hh-udfKPGK3-qS-eEvngYf5-VHUZzfh-B4ASfbB_azzU7M/s400/10628078_699190573508188_6129627298753296898_n.jpg"></a></div><br>
The book starts with an example of a completely broken, messy marriage and the transformation that followed. It goes on to explore what a beautiful marriage looks like and how we can work towards living out Christ's example of love. <br>
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A marriage is at its most beautiful when both partners are operating in their roles as demonstrated by Christ's relationship with the church. A husband is to lead and love his wife and a wife is to respect and submit to her husband. (Now, I know the "s" word brings up a lot of hot emotions, but you can read more about biblical submission in the book.) I personally love the example of Peter, the disciple who swore he would always be loyal to Jesus, only to deny even knowing him when things got hard. In the same way, I believe we go into marriage truly intending to be loyal to the end, but then things get hard. We don't take our vows lightly, but oftentimes, life take turns that we couldn't expect. <br>
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One particular passage stuck with me, especially for my mission here at Life of a Trooper Wife.<br>
"The world is doing a great job of making your husband feel like a failure already; he doesn't need to hear it from you. What he <i>does</i> need to hear is that he is valued, loved, appreciated and respected for the man that he is."<br>
This is exactly the heart of this page. Our law enforcement heroes face nothing but hate every single day and it only seems to be getting worse. Most of us can't imagine facing the world the way these folks do. Now do you really think they want to spend an entire shift being targeted, hated, spit on, cussed at only to come home and be nagged by their spouses? <br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgQyi651ffAURA20eBmhQubGnOAaYCJdj38u7fHyInY3VeiYxw5DwN7OnUap7fWNASu_XPzfxI2LDWM3XT3cZO2f0hoqD1U53swCA8KLUWQkaDCgpDuIsGOTvROzMktxBUGW7a-wlJKs/s1600/husband+cheerleader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgQyi651ffAURA20eBmhQubGnOAaYCJdj38u7fHyInY3VeiYxw5DwN7OnUap7fWNASu_XPzfxI2LDWM3XT3cZO2f0hoqD1U53swCA8KLUWQkaDCgpDuIsGOTvROzMktxBUGW7a-wlJKs/s320/husband+cheerleader.jpg"></a></div><br>
Each chapter outlines a different aspect of biblical marriage and closes with a challenge. I'm the kind of girl who needs a plan always. So having these specific challenges is wonderful! It takes the book beyond ideas and helps you put it into action. I've been on a mission the last few weeks to eliminate nagging in my marriage and this book has been a huge tool in working toward my goal. Obviously, I'll never reach perfection and I can promise I'll always have negative days, just like anyone else. <i>Because life is messy.</i> But when I commit to reflecting godliness in my marriage, it's inevitable that we will both reap the benefits.<br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Q-gQn8r0zfkGKL8l-8v-7UaLrOB1-hASjNBak2c3MztMHF5Pgb7-57gQcKiBPvbdtAtED5SqxHRAi6ccfxaK_vMbXAJHS-WVY2AQEEtYF6vgTiokWE28HwKee2PlaRN2kDhyphenhyphenpxFGFPA/s1600/love+is+a+beautiful+thing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Q-gQn8r0zfkGKL8l-8v-7UaLrOB1-hASjNBak2c3MztMHF5Pgb7-57gQcKiBPvbdtAtED5SqxHRAi6ccfxaK_vMbXAJHS-WVY2AQEEtYF6vgTiokWE28HwKee2PlaRN2kDhyphenhyphenpxFGFPA/s320/love+is+a+beautiful+thing.jpg"></a></div><br>
The principles in this book are so wonderfully backed by scripture and apply to you, regardless of your current status. If you're hoping to be married some day, a newlywed, have been married for 50 years or anywhere in between, you will be bless by this book. Take some time, read it, study it and apply it. You can order through <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Messy-Beautiful-Love-Redemption-Real-Life-ebook/dp/B00I5QX60W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410828947&sr=8-1&keywords=messy+beautiful+love">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/messy-beautiful-love-darlene-schacht/1117260796?ean=9781400206209">Barnes and Noble</a> on September 16!<br>
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I hope that even one marriage can be refreshed by the truths in Messy Beautiful Love! I'm praying over each of you, that you'd find the encouragement that you need in these pages! <br>
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As a special treat, we're giving away a copy of Messy Beautiful Love to one of our lovely readers! If you're already a fan of Life of a Trooper Wife on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lifeofatrooperwife?ref=hl">Facebook</a>, you've already earned one entry! For bonus entries, refer a friend! Just invite your friends to "like" us on Facebook and earn an additional entry for each one! Just send a Facebook message or <a href="lifeofatrooperwife@gmail.com">email</a> and tell us which friends you invited! Entries will be open until Saturday, September 20 and the winner will be announced first thing Monday morning, the 22nd! <br>
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<a id="rc-4cad0e271" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cad0e271/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br>
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script><div><br></div><div>**I was provided a copy of this book to promote, but was not compensated for my review.**</div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-70500366881813495482014-09-09T17:45:00.000-07:002014-09-09T17:48:13.892-07:00"Alice Springs" Chicken and Zucchini "fries"!<p dir="ltr">Some days, you have a hungry, clingy baby and have leftovers for dinner (for the 3rd day in a row). Some days though, baby cooperates and hubby is home to help keep him entertained and you can actually cook! It's a great feeling! So tonight, we ate like kings! (Or that's how it felt anyway, after so much leftovers.)</p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJS5pfvC4LXScs_n7l6OyA3pMxrSjgtu5F_A9WW6YexIvVQczP6w1u5bqWSbVgYwHgbd5nJfqAFj5IEyxK1X_adDgi8028gKczFBdmBzTAovG87zMn1JqNCoQzgJxi2X124xJVQEJnH6E/s1600/PhotoGrid_1410308836999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJS5pfvC4LXScs_n7l6OyA3pMxrSjgtu5F_A9WW6YexIvVQczP6w1u5bqWSbVgYwHgbd5nJfqAFj5IEyxK1X_adDgi8028gKczFBdmBzTAovG87zMn1JqNCoQzgJxi2X124xJVQEJnH6E/s320/PhotoGrid_1410308836999.jpg" /></a></div><p dir="ltr"><br />
I've had this <a href="http://debrapate.blogspot.com/2012/01/outback-steakhouse-alice-springs.html">chicken recipe</a> on my Pinterest for years, but only made it once before. I don't know why, because it's DELICIOUS! It does get customized a little bit in this family because we're not big on honey mustard and absolutely refuse mushrooms. <br />
So simple...<br />
Fry up some bacon. (YUM!).<br />
<br />
Brown seasoned chicken breasts (I use <a href="<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BOSIAAY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00BOSIAAY&linkCode=as2&tag=lifofatrowif-20&linkId=773UWILW2BOEGGWO">Mrs. Dash Chicken Salt Free Seasoning Blend 2.4 oz</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=lifofatrowif-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00BOSIAAY" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />">this</a> seasoning. ) in the leftover bacon grease. (Why is this not done for all chicken ever??)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJZjJ22yIkP6ZxmKqB28U10ftc4D0MOns3PyRho8GpGg2IawYs01DDTpYhmp0t2PA8JrQMGmnPHw8GGlAZ3BRL5ToIW3MFcXVFnZvNc2_Oa1KZRRvJhK58U45woPDL0DhBxbADKIrP3A/s1600/IMG_20140909_195937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJZjJ22yIkP6ZxmKqB28U10ftc4D0MOns3PyRho8GpGg2IawYs01DDTpYhmp0t2PA8JrQMGmnPHw8GGlAZ3BRL5ToIW3MFcXVFnZvNc2_Oa1KZRRvJhK58U45woPDL0DhBxbADKIrP3A/s320/IMG_20140909_195937.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Whip up some honey mustard sauce. (See? I only made enough to spread, not for dipping like the original recipe says.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpc3IL0gbl491rEeITSxfupzdRbQ0BS9gU5e_SJ_jaQlQwgZz0EXqH2X56nwH-h4tYSzh62ysX80pqBRs8kyFnsttwD81ZDbbrh8auCKA1L_mRjFQ5WYe2mz0wmSd1lgo30XlVK2a3xEc/s1600/IMG_20140909_195948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpc3IL0gbl491rEeITSxfupzdRbQ0BS9gU5e_SJ_jaQlQwgZz0EXqH2X56nwH-h4tYSzh62ysX80pqBRs8kyFnsttwD81ZDbbrh8auCKA1L_mRjFQ5WYe2mz0wmSd1lgo30XlVK2a3xEc/s320/IMG_20140909_195948.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Place your chicken in a pan, spread with honey mustard, top with bacon and shredded cheese. (I prefer to use disposable foil pans for cheesy dishes because who has time to scrape all that melty mess off later??)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWu2yRnmaAS3lA_qF7vT73K895gvmGeFT2UsAx1mpVbZ2qvusGKRdSuqfjJYnSm5FnmFBxXCSqZeIiue-_ILSGu4zHo7oFl_8i0Pa74_Pa8dpUbubmKXTgztqv9_d8SMuWd8Z-HnbSFs/s1600/IMG_20140909_195926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWu2yRnmaAS3lA_qF7vT73K895gvmGeFT2UsAx1mpVbZ2qvusGKRdSuqfjJYnSm5FnmFBxXCSqZeIiue-_ILSGu4zHo7oFl_8i0Pa74_Pa8dpUbubmKXTgztqv9_d8SMuWd8Z-HnbSFs/s320/IMG_20140909_195926.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Bake through and DEVOUR. </p><p dir="ltr">I picked up zucchini a few days ago because somehow we haven't had zucchini all summer and now summer's almost over! But I'm always on the lookout for new ways to cook it. So I read about a dozen different recipes online and fudged up my own version. </p><p dir="ltr">Cut the zucchini into strips.<br />
Toss in flour to coat.<br />
Beat an egg with some water to be nice and smooth. <br />
Mix up bread crumbs, salt and your choice of seasonings. (I used a packet of ranch dressing mix.)<br />
Dip the floured zucchini in the egg, then in the bread crumbs. <br />
Place on a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet.<br />
Bake for 10-15 minutes at 425°.</p><p dir="ltr">Crispy, ranchy and perfect!</p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutobc9tmFAIINmT70tu_HeNgr25qn_8A7BlHzw1NIxviGv5QBGN5riDb8KFvL6b0WplVlZWRzPUeD4OnFYgzSVZ0j6G8K_NrJGR2YtczVolYEMwS69FixnVmgcmeRNDqtM7HfAgUSdFc/s1600/IMG_20140909_195859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutobc9tmFAIINmT70tu_HeNgr25qn_8A7BlHzw1NIxviGv5QBGN5riDb8KFvL6b0WplVlZWRzPUeD4OnFYgzSVZ0j6G8K_NrJGR2YtczVolYEMwS69FixnVmgcmeRNDqtM7HfAgUSdFc/s320/IMG_20140909_195859.jpg" /></a></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-78976276013897841782014-09-03T07:27:00.000-07:002014-09-03T07:29:36.029-07:00Just a girl with a book and a very special offerAs of today, my husband and I have been married for five years. Not an extraordinarily long time, but we were 19 and 20 when we got married, so we've done a lot of growing and changing together.<br />
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I can honestly say that we've had LOTS more happy days together than bad days. Even when life gets ugly, we tend to take on an "us against the world" mentality. Don't think that I'm naive though. Marriage in itself is HARD at times and a police marriage brings a unique set of challenges. When you deal with shift work, over time, missed holidays and special occasions and essentially live as a single parent, it's enough to push anyone to the edge. I hate to admit, but I've let myself get caught up in the negative far too often and my selfishness has caused more arguments that I could count. <br />
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"Love is a beautiful thing, but it's messy at times."<br />
Have truer words ever been spoken?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSGbIJFfpQgo1C7C0Xt6VTsJyKpaFHycGsG8Hpn_TNOEm8ZFTLy86QRdJvzAhyNZdA3YmdWe1jEJ0drXRra5uoQh3N4jA5su_s3nqrYo6hOJtuTuZavamqL4Cbc9KgrL0FjlgJ8mGMG0/s1600/The+Best+Things.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSGbIJFfpQgo1C7C0Xt6VTsJyKpaFHycGsG8Hpn_TNOEm8ZFTLy86QRdJvzAhyNZdA3YmdWe1jEJ0drXRra5uoQh3N4jA5su_s3nqrYo6hOJtuTuZavamqL4Cbc9KgrL0FjlgJ8mGMG0/s320/The+Best+Things.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I'm so excited to announce that I've been selected to be a part of the launch team for Darlene Schacht's new book, Messy Beautiful Love! As a Christian wife, it's refreshing to find a book that honestly approaches the messiness of marriage. If we let ourselves be real, we can't help but admit that life gets out of control sometimes and our marriages end up taking the hit. <br />
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As a part of the launch team, I've had the privilege to dive into this book before it's released and I'm here to tell you that it is more than worth your time to read it! Darlene's heart-breaking honestly is beautiful and if you take the book to heart, your marriage can be transformed. I haven't finished yet, but I'm loving the journey through it! <br />
<br />
The book itself is more than enough, but wait, there's more! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400206200/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1400206200&linkCode=as2&tag=lifofatrowif-20&linkId=AHVROWGVHWFZOBIH">Messy Beautiful Love: Hope and Redemption for Real-Life Marriages</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=lifofatrowif-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1400206200" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> will be released on September 16th (so close...eek!), but you can pre-order now! (Follow the link to order!) And anyone who pre-orders the book (paperback or digital copy) gets an incredible freebie package, worth more than $50! Purchasing one copy of the book gets you lots of great tools, but if you purchase five or more copies, you get extra bonuses!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXDzP0z72hQ8kShUPEwxE7r1OdIx77BPrNEfoygdMWpZwbrkZY2eoOoIaqrg7UYpIW_KdWALZBGBVpuObqFwRnI0i7bAzeJJfp1NwMVOnZ-PUkvcAOBko04idIlaObMs9OPcj4FR0Ks0/s1600/10641007_698682766892302_1504979394710364795_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXDzP0z72hQ8kShUPEwxE7r1OdIx77BPrNEfoygdMWpZwbrkZY2eoOoIaqrg7UYpIW_KdWALZBGBVpuObqFwRnI0i7bAzeJJfp1NwMVOnZ-PUkvcAOBko04idIlaObMs9OPcj4FR0Ks0/s320/10641007_698682766892302_1504979394710364795_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
All you have to do to claim your freebies is email MessyBeautifulLove@gmail.com with your receipt or confirmation number and how many books you ordered!<br />
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If you're thinking that this book is for someone else, someone who's actually in a messy spot right now, please reconsider. You may very well be in a good place today, but God prepares the heart for tomorrow!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnS_agvmp-2qmX46O27u5j8JeD9b4tJLgRqz8MfWk0vBrlUsNZBoXpxOyM_z52XJ4thXQ1JO0mOo5y3K7cTCKdqKYQW5h2eJP3OhbLYzaAKZzm6FUE5yN6jxpoXJ0NZWCxrYZGDxngnA/s1600/MessBeauLove_Meme_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnS_agvmp-2qmX46O27u5j8JeD9b4tJLgRqz8MfWk0vBrlUsNZBoXpxOyM_z52XJ4thXQ1JO0mOo5y3K7cTCKdqKYQW5h2eJP3OhbLYzaAKZzm6FUE5yN6jxpoXJ0NZWCxrYZGDxngnA/s320/MessBeauLove_Meme_2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of this book to review and promote, but am not compensated for my review. This post does contain affiliate links and I may be compensated through those merchants for any purchases made.<br />
Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-48513132767755067662014-09-02T15:13:00.000-07:002014-09-02T15:13:31.344-07:00Official Page Kick Off (and a special announcement!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjD3Dh9kSjKm6rC9wsj59ZKxeuWWwpr_bGb7UPdFxVX3u98UVF_GPXnzqME9epeAbXgFf6e04LYeWalpftc4xBYpM7wDQQfaDA5DgaXNkWpj2ryhDLxjrYsPBir0RTFuLmv_mzdzHzQE/s1600/Page+Kick+Off.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjD3Dh9kSjKm6rC9wsj59ZKxeuWWwpr_bGb7UPdFxVX3u98UVF_GPXnzqME9epeAbXgFf6e04LYeWalpftc4xBYpM7wDQQfaDA5DgaXNkWpj2ryhDLxjrYsPBir0RTFuLmv_mzdzHzQE/s320/Page+Kick+Off.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<p dir="ltr">This blog has been around for a few months as I've been getting focused on my real mission behind my writing.</p><p dir="ltr">Today, though, I'm so excited to announce that we're officially kicking off! For anyone who's been around up until now, THANK YOU! (Yes, you may say, "I followed her way back when...") And for any newcomers, welcome! You're jumping in at such an exciting time.</p><p dir="ltr">First, I'd like to give a little overview of my goal here. I am a trooper wife and I know firsthand the unique struggles and rewards that the law enforcement life brings. My passion is to connect with other law enforcement spouses (although this information can easily relate to anyone!) and share ways to encourage our heroes. </p><p dir="ltr">Every day, these men and women are battling evil right here at home. It's no wonder the stress of the job often finds its way home. There's not much I can do to change the nature of my husband's shift, but I can change the nature of our home environment. </p><p dir="ltr">My goal is to make our home a haven; a place he can feel safe and relaxed. Each person's idea of a haven will look different, but I'm here to provide ideas to do the same for others in our blue family. By providing recipes (everyone finds comfort in food!), housekeeping tips (a clean, organized home invites relaxation), marriage talk (we could all use pointers there!) and financial advice (have you seen what law enforcement officers bring home?), we can work together to show our heroes our respect and love. The world seems to be getting more hateful by the minute...home needs to be getting more enjoyable at the same pace!<br />
</p><p dir="ltr">So stay tuned for lots of fun, tips, deals and giveaways! I can also be found and followed on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lifeofatrooperwife">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/lifetrooperwife">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lifetrooperwife/">Pinterest</a> so you don't have to miss anything!</p><p dir="ltr">As we start this new journey in a brand new month heading into beautiful autumn, we're going to start with a fabulous book deal and freebies! Come back tomorrow for the scoop! </p><p dir="ltr">Thank you for joining me on this adventure! ❤<br />
</p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-40318352433339734902014-08-18T08:55:00.001-07:002014-09-03T16:16:10.946-07:00A Pinteresting August - Follow Up<p dir="ltr">Once again, I seriously overestimated the time that I would have to work on these projects! Two month olds take a good chunk of your day! But it's the best use of a day!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I did make my own coffee creamer and granola bars. I did not get around to the lamp shade, the snack bags or the baked oatmeal.</p>
<p dir="ltr">First, let's talk <a href="http://deliciouslyorganic.net/homemade-coffee-creamer/">coffee creamer</a>. It was simple to make and I loved being able to adjust the flavor however I wanted. But it wasn't any cheaper than getting the store-bought version, especially if you have a coupon or hit a sale. The only advantage would be that you know what's in it...no preservatives or other junk. Just cream, milk and your spices/flavorings. We don't drink enough creamer to justify making it! But if you want to get away from packaged foods, this is an easy step!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Next, the <a href="http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/81298/playgroup-granola-bars">granola bars</a>. I didn't make the original ones I'd pinned, but found a different recipe. SO GOOD!! <br>
Hubby isn't totally sold on them...he says they're good, but missing something. So I'll be tweaking the recipe next time.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This one will for sure save you money! The oats cost less than a dollar, the flax seed is less than a dollar and the other ingredients are less than a few dollars also. I'd estimate this recipe costs between $3-$4 to make and you get 18 thick bars! You'd pay that for 5 or 6 small granola bars at the grocery store!<br><br></p>
Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-34300414248621833582014-08-17T00:28:00.001-07:002014-08-17T00:28:27.944-07:00Foregoing sleep<p dir="ltr">I'm sure anyone who's spouse works shift work can relate...<br>
The baby goes to bed around 9pm. The husband is schedules to be off at 11pm. So I try to take advantage of that little piece of time to see how much I can get done.<br>
Sewing patterns organized.<br>
Fabric sorted. <br>
Knit baby gift worked on. <br>
Shower taken. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Of course, just as I settle down with my book to wait for him, I get find out he's been extended. It happens more often than not. But I keep waiting up, thinking he'll be home any minute. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Next thing I know, it's 2am and I'm getting up from my little nap to spend some time with my man. After he eats and we catch up, he's goes to shower. This is just about the time that the baby is awake to eat. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Hmm... Look at that...3:26am. About five hours before I'm planning on leaving for church. I really should get some sleep. Or I could squeeze in a couple more online surveys... I'm so close to my next gift card. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Ah, a day in the life! Who can relate?</p>
Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-12066541050356094602014-08-10T19:38:00.001-07:002014-08-10T19:38:30.435-07:00A Pinteresting August...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2KZEoxghTsF4C4uFO2TlKWgp288RG3fXhyphenhyphenRMuCYwFVHscIr8FFkgoofAY0b_6kupG42d27lJGPilYPBAADYjyBH3x5ft6mSGRYRTQLqmfdsTd-DP2fZRJ-vPMxhBNSxq1gsU7VPPLR8/s1600/A+Pinteresting+August.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2KZEoxghTsF4C4uFO2TlKWgp288RG3fXhyphenhyphenRMuCYwFVHscIr8FFkgoofAY0b_6kupG42d27lJGPilYPBAADYjyBH3x5ft6mSGRYRTQLqmfdsTd-DP2fZRJ-vPMxhBNSxq1gsU7VPPLR8/s320/A+Pinteresting+August.jpg" /></a></div><br />
My first week as a stay-at-home mama is complete! And, to be honest, I don't know where the time went! It's hard work trying to find your new routine, period, but with a little one, it's quite a challenge! <br />
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Tomorrow is Monday and a fresh start. We're trying a new nap routine with the little guy and a new cleaning routine for mama. (We'll get back to the cleaning routine later. Promise.)<br />
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As I was browsing Pinterest earlier (as we all do, at some point during the day), it dawned on me that now is my chance to try all the hundreds of pins I've been hoarding for years! Whether it makes my life easier, makes my hubby's belly happy or save us some money, I'm all for it.<br />
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So I started a new board just for the projects I want to try before the end of the month. This gives me 20 days and I pinned five ideas. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dp5iFLnHJdwlrZMzN5NJ5iKvPvSuhCnpd1faVJQVmHhplN54Rey1soSzEHKmA0oHtjqkLSu8tijw9goFIaf0X8cNuM4NXobyXcw9RZZVwUxPedRuAPHIvedRZ03g1r0eqpMh0nJS51k/s1600/Screenshot_2014-08-10-22-01-57.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dp5iFLnHJdwlrZMzN5NJ5iKvPvSuhCnpd1faVJQVmHhplN54Rey1soSzEHKmA0oHtjqkLSu8tijw9goFIaf0X8cNuM4NXobyXcw9RZZVwUxPedRuAPHIvedRZ03g1r0eqpMh0nJS51k/s320/Screenshot_2014-08-10-22-01-57.png" /></a></div><br />
Two are kind of the same...baked oatmeal bites and breakfast bars. But I love my granola/oat bars and would love to find a way to make them myself. <br />
Reusable snack bags...because I feel like buying the little zipper bags is a necessary evil. If I can make it unnecessary, I will be thrilled.<br />
Recovering lampshades...because we have a really wonderful lamp made from an old wood stove, but the shade is horrifying. <br />
Homemade coffee creamer...I don't use too much creamer, but we've been on an iced coffee kick in our house and you can't have iced coffee black. But again, I hate paying so much for the flavored stuff.<br />
<br />
So stay tuned...it's going to be a Pinteresting August in this trooper home!Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-87118206593785954622014-07-28T09:29:00.001-07:002014-07-28T09:29:29.873-07:00She's back and ready to face the world head-on!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzhUBEdsnuOEppOrA0MXKlHU49RpGzoVGgPzNdhyoXnfLY0lQyzv7YNkMG5cyQrpDTnnFSA53SqF2m5Jwljo8Y7TBQV62eRW1nkOJ2KPu2swWy8HjHwNuO_drMuTTM0kTfxDJYu2C7Lc/s1600/She's+back!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzhUBEdsnuOEppOrA0MXKlHU49RpGzoVGgPzNdhyoXnfLY0lQyzv7YNkMG5cyQrpDTnnFSA53SqF2m5Jwljo8Y7TBQV62eRW1nkOJ2KPu2swWy8HjHwNuO_drMuTTM0kTfxDJYu2C7Lc/s320/She's+back!.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I didn't realize, but it's been almost three months since I've posted! <br />
I'll fully admit that the first month I was absent was because I was 9 months pregnant and pretty cranky, more often than not. Nobody wants to read what I would have been writing! And the next two months have been spent wrapped up in sweet baby snuggles!<br />
<br />
So let's catch up...<br />
Our sweet guy, Levi, made his arrival on June 3rd, weighing in a 7lb 15oz and absolutely perfect! He's been eating and sleeping like a champ and I can't wait for his next trip to the doctor to see what he weighs now! He's getting pretty chunky these days! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOj3Eodab4xh6cF_pXExm2D04bqHTDiMD0XNpwfuu-3GywD3edFVbVYShdlYCH2OXblcs5YUnNBPAQb-rMxCj-YB6fi3kOsvcvuHuQls6lZWyzTMuyFwvNpI9bkBQwQdxLj42T-megtY/s1600/Steelers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOj3Eodab4xh6cF_pXExm2D04bqHTDiMD0XNpwfuu-3GywD3edFVbVYShdlYCH2OXblcs5YUnNBPAQb-rMxCj-YB6fi3kOsvcvuHuQls6lZWyzTMuyFwvNpI9bkBQwQdxLj42T-megtY/s320/Steelers.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Since then, I took my standard six weeks off of work (note: six weeks is nowhere near enough time to be with a new little one!) and came back last week. It wasn't much surprise, but I only made it through two days at work before we decided that I needed to be home with our guy. The paycheck wouldn't be worth much after gas and childcare and frankly, not worth nearly enough to be away from him every day. So I'm now a stay-at-home mama! It's absolutely precious to watch him discovering the whole world for the first time! <br />
<br />
Now, if you're part of a law enforcement family, you know that making it on his salary alone is a challenge. It's the very definition of "leap of faith". But my being with our little guy is so important to both of us. Obviously, this is causing some stress and a whole lot of sacrifice, but we're stepping out in faith and trusting the God will see us through, one day at a time. Obviously, I'd love to find a way to supplement some income, while still being with Levi, but each opportunity has fallen through. Again...we're having faith that God will provide what we need every day.<br />
<br />
So things are getting creative in this trooper family and I hope that our journey can inspire someone else!Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-60759281204887310872014-05-07T09:25:00.000-07:002014-05-07T09:25:55.223-07:00Fresh delivery from Fabric.com!!Getting mail (that isn't bills) is always exciting.<br />
Getting packages is even more exciting than evelopes.<br />
And when the package is a new shipment of fabric, well, I don't think it gets more exciting than that!<br />
<br />
First, let me explain why this particular shipment is so exciting.<br />
Anyone in a law enforcement family knows that we've gotta get creative and stretch those paychecks further than most. So I've spent most of my pregnancy trying to come up with ways to cut costs on baby costs. Of course, one HUGE expense when it comes to babies is diapers. So I decided to use cloth diapers in an attempt to save money. My rough math is telling me that diapers for one child will cost about $800 EACH YEAR. If we are to have another baby before baby #1 is potty trained, we'd be DOUBLING THAT. (I'm no math or diapering expert, but that's the calculations I came up with...don't hold me to that!) As a state employee family, that's ridiculous. <br />
<br />
But when I started looking into cloth diapers, I was shocked at the cost there also! At a rate of $15-$20 per diaper, I'd have to come up with about $400 upfront to buy my "stash". Obviously, this is still a more economical option and we'd be coming out ahead in less than a year, but we didn't have $400 to spend at once. So I came up with this crazy idea to make my own. I have a sewing machine and what I would call "moderate" skill...how hard could it be?<br />
<br />
<i>(Note: It's not hard at all!! Be looking for another post later with how I made my diapers)</i><br />
<br />
I spent the next few months listening to most everyone I know tell me that I'd never actually make my own diapers and even if I did, I wouldn't actually use them. Well, that only sparked that competitive sickness that lives in my brain and forces me to win/be right ALL THE TIME. So now I had to do it, if only to prove everyone wrong. <br />
<br />
So I did some research and found what I needed to make this happen and started sourcing out my materials. That's when I stumbled upon www.fabric.com. WOW. It's like the promised land of all things fabric and yard and craft supplies. And great prices!! I went nuts and placed one big order...flannel and PUL (waterproof fabric) for diapers, cotton for crib sheets and curtains and all the "extras" like elastic and snaps. <br />
<br />
This is when my love affair with Fabric.com began. You can buy fabric by the 1/2 yard or full yard, but you always get 37" in each yard. It doesn't sound like that extra inch would be a lot, but it's an awesome gesture. Delivery times vary depending on how close you live to their warehouse (which is in Georgia). For me here in Virginia, it's usually 4 days. Can't beat that! <br />
<br />
That first order was enough to get me started on my diapers, but since then, we found out that baby is a boy and settled on a nursery theme of woodland animals. So once I needed the next round of fabric, I veered away from the solid colors and ordered some fun patterns...which have just arrived!! There's nothing like coming home to that fabulous box!! <br />
<br />
Yay!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kYKIcf8UmAlGKTbEj-pxz8eQtmrTU2qpKTaMAh-hJ0w8WvVsVrJlKU9e2qn001f3YAF7sKFxq4dsyJYP1ujmJJZ11vV9G4xYFphEqOaxgn2vluHieYaZiSROL7Ce1mlthghayrNLGwk/s1600/fabric1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kYKIcf8UmAlGKTbEj-pxz8eQtmrTU2qpKTaMAh-hJ0w8WvVsVrJlKU9e2qn001f3YAF7sKFxq4dsyJYP1ujmJJZ11vV9G4xYFphEqOaxgn2vluHieYaZiSROL7Ce1mlthghayrNLGwk/s1600/fabric1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Anticipation...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMjDZ657ssWOi2qKwMBEPqdb8lTcqQGSCiqFMxu4A-Snwg1i4-n9aJTRBxJ76MhnY0KpTuJbcfyuqjnMVCixCmN-RdqZvgn51L0Fo7JzYYv6atlMAczNQxV1s8yfxSC1_EjryOYKc10I/s1600/fabric2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMjDZ657ssWOi2qKwMBEPqdb8lTcqQGSCiqFMxu4A-Snwg1i4-n9aJTRBxJ76MhnY0KpTuJbcfyuqjnMVCixCmN-RdqZvgn51L0Fo7JzYYv6atlMAczNQxV1s8yfxSC1_EjryOYKc10I/s1600/fabric2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Look at the sweet little animal print!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1EyereUmwRUWhyphenhyphenNVjCl0sVWphljlrCQK9vIZzzEGSFBXjTQjGro1wxNFNH1moNNsQj2ueloXatMa6FtRp_-QIBKJLYDn099sgNVreKl-uNVhhcNcM3dsxB7wHxg6i8n-wQ3G6uA0eFQ/s1600/fabric3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1EyereUmwRUWhyphenhyphenNVjCl0sVWphljlrCQK9vIZzzEGSFBXjTQjGro1wxNFNH1moNNsQj2ueloXatMa6FtRp_-QIBKJLYDn099sgNVreKl-uNVhhcNcM3dsxB7wHxg6i8n-wQ3G6uA0eFQ/s1600/fabric3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Back to the sewing board!!!Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-28614222414042939552014-05-02T07:17:00.000-07:002014-05-02T07:17:39.207-07:00Two days only, save 60% at Flirtyaprons.com!<i>(This post contains affiliate links which means I will be compensated if you purchase after clicking these links.)</i><br />
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Just in time for Mother's Day, snatch up a beautiful apron for a gift (and maybe another for yourself!) and save 60% off your purchase with coupon code FLIRTY60.<br />
This code is only good May 2nd and 3rd, so head over there now for the best deal!Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-56451241026263374132014-05-01T08:50:00.000-07:002014-05-01T08:50:07.992-07:00"The Words I Would Say" - for my sweet baby boy that I can't wait to meet!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eaHFN2l22OsyHrLmcJ2CfyBTA_hOcD886bOGDty5K3vkm1UBPOEmN6SDQJEAcjX_rBlzI8cwMcEERBbePPUaW-9VH8gP_03GA75JuU_DRLt1Gvyz5e_ZFUWmOQdyrEU_B6jil8pfdKY/s1600/Words+I+Would+Say.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eaHFN2l22OsyHrLmcJ2CfyBTA_hOcD886bOGDty5K3vkm1UBPOEmN6SDQJEAcjX_rBlzI8cwMcEERBbePPUaW-9VH8gP_03GA75JuU_DRLt1Gvyz5e_ZFUWmOQdyrEU_B6jil8pfdKY/s1600/Words+I+Would+Say.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Even before I was pregnant, I have been praying for this and any other children we may have. Since I've been pregnant, I've kept on praying and talking to my sweet boy. Some may think it sounds silly, but there's already so much I wish I could tell him! <br />
<br />
The other day, on my way to work, a song came on that immediately sent me into tears (sweet song + pregnancy hormones = I cry for sometimes unexplainable reasons). This song is by Sidewalk Prophets and is called "The Words I Would Say". The chorus seemed to perfectly sum up what I'd been praying for my boy since before I even knew that he was on his way.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Be strong in the Lord and never give up hope.<br />
You're gonna do great things, I already know.<br />
God's got his hand on you so don't live life in fear.<br />
Forgive and forget, but don't forget why you're here<br />
Take your time and pray.<br />
These are the words I would say.</b></i><br />
<br />
I've prayed these words over my sweet boy more times than you can imagine since I first heard them. I've journaled them for him to read later on. It's so humbling to think about what God may do through our boy. I don't know what the next 10, 20 or 50 years will hold for us or for him, but God sees us and He has great plans for us, as idividuals and as a family!Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-55022418419254385352014-04-28T09:44:00.001-07:002014-04-28T09:44:25.006-07:0015 Things to Expect When Married to a Police Officer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5S-EWyabNeCxzhpjeVz5iCxgBDuOVSScO3uyJVsS6mRVjHvnhp0NRMVn1J76f3-5KjACx16Lwv3l9CzxLZ3l9zr9DoOavHbiJOkT89F9snVIXHFOc2yoHUBen2AkSzW7jwkx99xXmKo/s1600/15+things.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5S-EWyabNeCxzhpjeVz5iCxgBDuOVSScO3uyJVsS6mRVjHvnhp0NRMVn1J76f3-5KjACx16Lwv3l9CzxLZ3l9zr9DoOavHbiJOkT89F9snVIXHFOc2yoHUBen2AkSzW7jwkx99xXmKo/s1600/15+things.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I came across this being shared on Facebook and thought it was sweet, but undeniably accurate! <br />
<br />
15 things to expect when married to a police officer (by Molly McAdams):<br />
<br />
1. Always having to sit a certain way at restaurants so he can see everything/everyone.<br />
2. Always having to sit in the back row at a movie theatre -not to make out- but so he can see everyone.<br />
3. If #1 or #2 are crowded, you will have to leave. Not because of the wait at the restaurant, or because someone might sit next to you at the theatre, but because crowds make him anxious beyond belief. Too much can go wrong.<br />
4. When you're at the store, he will randomly shove you down an aisle and whisper, "Go that way" while he continues walking straight because he's just seen someone he arrested, and doesn't want them to see you.<br />
5. If you eat fast food, you have to make sure not to go to certain ones for a few months because the last time you were there, the person at the window was someone he arrested.<br />
6. Eventually someone delivering your pizza will have been arrested by your husband. (Thank God ours now views my husband like a role model, we're good.)<br />
7. Because he is trained to drive a certain way if need be, he will drive like that in your personal car as well all the time, causing you to hold the "oh shit" bar the entire time while working on your imaginary braking skills.<br />
8. When you hear velcro, you smile to yourself because you know your husband has made it home safe another day.<br />
9. Not being able to buy him just any shirt you think will look good on him, because you have to buy him shirts that will cover his off-duty weapon.<br />
10. Knowing where all the guns are in the house, if they're loaded or not, and getting scolded like a child if you're home alone and don't have one within reach.<br />
11. Staring at your phone for the last 20 minutes of his shift, waiting for the phone call that says, "Gonna be late, have to transfer someone and do paperwork."<br />
12. While at the beginning, hearing sirens used to make you hold your breath and pray until you heard from him again, you now just trust he'll come home, and whisper "Get some" to yourself with a smile when you hear sirens.<br />
13. You can text/call him and not hear from him for hours because he's busy. But if he calls or texts you, you better answer or respond within seconds because he will lose his shit thinking something's happened to you, call you 10 times in a row, text you a dozen more, and will be on his way to your house to check on you … all within five minutes from the first text/call.<br />
14. Hearing in detail the smell and look of a dead person no longer fazes you … it's normal conversation, just as guns, bullets, and differences in them are now a daily conversation.<br />
15. Nothing shocks you anymore when it comes to illegal activity that he's seen at work. You just shake your head and say something along the lines of, "dumb ass" in regards to what happened, when during the first few months it was something along the lines of: "OH MY WORD!!! Are you serious?! What has happened to this world?! I can't believe that! Just -- WHAT!?"</p><p dir="ltr">So after all that, it also must be said that being a police officer's wife is the best thing in the world. Dinner conversations are never boring. He looks hot in his uniform. And you know he can protect you, and protects your city on a daily basis.</p>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-67403814030691512532014-04-25T09:00:00.000-07:002014-04-25T09:33:43.433-07:00Blurb Mother's Day Deals and Contest!Publish Your Mom for Mother's Day!<br />
<i>(This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.)</i><br />
<br />
Right now at Blurb you can <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=590275&u=928825&m=31260&urllink=&afftrack=">save 15% on all printed orders through April 30th!</a>! Mother's Day is right around the corner and a wonderful way to surprise that special lady in your life is to make a one-of-a-kind beautifully bound cookbook from all of those tasty treats she made you as a kid. You get to forever preserve a delicious part of your past, and your mom gets billed as the artist she always wanted to be. But be sure to hurry because this deal only lasts until the end of the month... just in time for a Mother's Day delivery. Can't get any tastier than that.<br />
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While you're at it, enter to win <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=592740&u=928825&m=31260&urllink=&afftrack=">Blurb's My Favorite Person Contest</a>. Make a book about why Mom is your favorite person and be entered for a chance to win and to show Mom just how much you appreciate all she's done! Even better...all My Favorite Person books are discounted 30% off.<br />
Details: Entrants must create a Blurb book and submit by dates on the website based upon the category selected. Entrants may submit a book for each category. Books must be made with Blurb (not another print company) to be considered.<br />
Valid: Contest entries must be submitted by April 28 and May 31, based upon respective categories. The 30% off discount is valid through May 31st.<br />
Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-22760612187663282822014-04-24T15:33:00.000-07:002014-04-25T06:53:17.202-07:00Ultimate Homemaking Bundle Sale!<a href="https://us154.infusionsoft.com/go/bundle/a1606" target=_blank><img src="https://ubhome2014graphics.s3.amazonaws.com/UHomB/Nest.png" border=0></a><br />
<i>(This post contains affiliate links which means I will be compensated if you purchase after clicking these links.)</i><br />
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Looking for a great deal on ebooks, eCourses, printable packs and bonus products and memberships? Look no further!<br />
Follow the links below to buy the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle! This is a collection of 78 fantastic eBooks, audio files & printables. All the best ebooks on everything important to us as wives and moms: homemaking, cooking, decorating, parenting, faith and more. <br />
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<a href="https://ubcodes.s3.amazonaws.com/ub-short-code-with-buy-links.txt "></a>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-53404685313807092572014-04-24T11:05:00.000-07:002014-04-24T11:07:24.272-07:00How to Add & Sell a Pattern on CraftsyHow to Add & Sell a Pattern on Craftsy<br>
(This post contains affiliate links which means I will be compensated if you purchase after clicking these links.)<br>
<br>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=597398&u=928825&m=29190&urllink=&afftrack="><img src="http://www.shareasale.com/image/29190/CraftsyPatterns.jpg" border="0"></a><br>
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In addition to wonderful online courses and craft supplies, Craftsy also has an independent online pattern store that lets anyone upload and sell downloadable e-patterns with no fee!<br>
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Do you have a pattern you'd like to add to Craftsy and start your pattern store? It’s so easy to get started!! <br>
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1. Make sure you have a Paypal account. All pattern transactions happen through Paypal, and Craftsy requires that you have a Student, Premier, or Business account in order to sell patterns.<br>
2. Put your pattern in .pdf format. You can’t upload any patterns to the online pattern store unless they’re a .pdf file format, so if they’re currently saved as a Word doc, .jpg, or other file format, you must convert it to a .pdf before you upload it to Craftsy.<br>
3. Include a photo. All patterns must have at least one photo to accompany them, but you can add up to five photos. Colorful, interesting photos tend to work the best for catching our members’ eyes!<br>
4. Fill out the pattern description. We will ask you some basic questions around your pattern making it easier for Craftsy folk to find your pattern and know what your pattern is for. Make sure you have info about your pattern handy for this step.<br>
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For more information on how to <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=597358&u=928825&m=29190&urllink=&afftrack=">sell a pattern through Craftsy</a>, or to get started, visit Craftsy today!<br>
Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7367065439390339427.post-21413619891855294462014-04-18T08:13:00.000-07:002014-04-18T08:17:08.339-07:00Peanut Butter Easter Egg time!For generations, my mother's family has been making chocolate covered eggs for Easter - peanut butter, coconut and divinity cream. It's a tradition that everyone loves, for obvious reasons! And as the family has grown, the recipe keeps getting shared and hopefully soon, everyone will know how glorious these eggs are! <br />
<br />
I've only ever made the peanut butter version, because I don't like coconut or white cream. Selfish, I know. But why put the effort into making something that I don't like??<br />
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This recipe makes 6 eggs, each about 3/4 cup size.<br />
3/4 Cup peanut butter (cannot use reduced fat peanut butter!)<br />
1 tsp vanilla <br />
1 tsp salt<br />
<br />
2/3 cup evaporated milk <br />
6 Cups powdered sugar<br />
<br />
1 bag milk chocolate chips<br />
<br />
Mix peanut butter, vanilla, and salt until creamy. Blend milk until smooth. <br />
Gradually add powdered sugar, slowly mixing after each addition. <br />
(We've found that using the dough hook in the stand mixer works best. Scrape the bowl often. It can seem like it takes forever to mix, but make sure not to mix it on a high speed)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnGNd1Iv1JIZgzIiJc53SjiYlC_udRfZ4abe_EqVStVR_daTb-CD4APIBj5ukwM7ZBbScA5glPIsOKKI_qqHZX69usIzdl_CFu_ZaZb2uFiRxpuBFlofy0wrNeOklAenn7uGKnyvUAwQ/s1600/eggs+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnGNd1Iv1JIZgzIiJc53SjiYlC_udRfZ4abe_EqVStVR_daTb-CD4APIBj5ukwM7ZBbScA5glPIsOKKI_qqHZX69usIzdl_CFu_ZaZb2uFiRxpuBFlofy0wrNeOklAenn7uGKnyvUAwQ/s1600/eggs+1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Using about 3/4 cup of peanut butter mixture, roll into smooth egg shapes.<br />
Place eggs on waxed paper on a cookie sheet and put into refrigerator to set up (a few hours, or about 1 hour in the freezer)<br />
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When eggs are firm, melt about 1/4-1/3 of the chocolate chips (I use a double boiler on the stove). Turn the eggs over and spread melted chocolate on the bottom (flat) side of the eggs, allowing it to run over the sides a bit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6BcpSak5EX1BWUmJPEthUBYPH6SrQlIx3oBnCiCQgFwCZmJ9Zby4nzp9xEdqUj98x7uxeS00yMpvUTLGk_PpfkXR1HmyWKczlZhEducWJdWw7g_GRmDK3znZiiil97u6Ip5cCNYtz-k/s1600/eggs+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6BcpSak5EX1BWUmJPEthUBYPH6SrQlIx3oBnCiCQgFwCZmJ9Zby4nzp9xEdqUj98x7uxeS00yMpvUTLGk_PpfkXR1HmyWKczlZhEducWJdWw7g_GRmDK3znZiiil97u6Ip5cCNYtz-k/s1600/eggs+2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfIKUrAq5jUK_1gi3NNTLDrmNerQnXe0EEZVXQ1jM4nDNemCSxmekv_aBoibte7pBgvAv3eNzrStLqpP3QP35OvjXzC80uZicH-9VTwEvMCghSJPzuG4FHGlQVnTJL_ekwBPAtV8TMVY/s1600/eggs+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfIKUrAq5jUK_1gi3NNTLDrmNerQnXe0EEZVXQ1jM4nDNemCSxmekv_aBoibte7pBgvAv3eNzrStLqpP3QP35OvjXzC80uZicH-9VTwEvMCghSJPzuG4FHGlQVnTJL_ekwBPAtV8TMVY/s1600/eggs+3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Put the eggs back in the fridge overnight (still upside down, still on the waxed paper on the cookie sheet), long enough for the chocolate to harden.<br />
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When you're ready to cover the tops, melt the rest of the chocolate chips. When you pull the eggs out and flipe them over, you may have to reshape the tops to be more round. Spread the melted chocolate over the tops and sides, smoothing over the "seam" where you covered the bottoms.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmr4C7m1s8YhZEKE_MwI_Lvq8oa78h2aGtd6Bo4fq5wtLSU1WQcP5Blf7TSFT-rvheAmCaeRuJaTJw0h7TQ9Gs_9k728f2rqKBVD2qusa8a1fEaCZNUCLUa-HT7PViYEHLXd55A1-kJQ/s1600/eggs+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmr4C7m1s8YhZEKE_MwI_Lvq8oa78h2aGtd6Bo4fq5wtLSU1WQcP5Blf7TSFT-rvheAmCaeRuJaTJw0h7TQ9Gs_9k728f2rqKBVD2qusa8a1fEaCZNUCLUa-HT7PViYEHLXd55A1-kJQ/s1600/eggs+4.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Add sprinkles, if you like, back in the fridge to harden.<br />
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Slice or cut them up any way you'd like and ENJOY! They are ridiculously rich and sweet, so one egg can be enough for a family of 4 to enjoy for a while, unless someone has a major sweet tooth! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxe1TDnYDVZwIMKaRIthRGQW8cZmhhpb9ISqvcVrWv43xxfcov6p5u9z93gB5Q1VMbBKTslHbpS7oO524hps3i0loRP9WvgyJmKl3cY3zsgu1Tz6lKdLzjchl1vKkWGubeBx3PbXG4tSc/s1600/eggs+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxe1TDnYDVZwIMKaRIthRGQW8cZmhhpb9ISqvcVrWv43xxfcov6p5u9z93gB5Q1VMbBKTslHbpS7oO524hps3i0loRP9WvgyJmKl3cY3zsgu1Tz6lKdLzjchl1vKkWGubeBx3PbXG4tSc/s1600/eggs+5.jpg" /></a></div>Randihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308171425327456581noreply@blogger.com0